Directing Chaos
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: What if Tim was the Director of NCIS and Ziva the Director of Mossad? How would their paths have crossed and how would their agencies have handled the chaos undoubtedly bound to follow?
1. Chapter 1

**Directing Chaos**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: What if Tim was the Director of NCIS and Ziva the Director of Mossad? How would their paths have crossed and how would their agencies have handled the chaos undoubtedly bound to follow? **

**A/N: Who's alive? Who's dead? This is AU, after all...**

"I don't see why you're so upset that Daddy-"

"I'm not upset with Dad, Sarah." He replied, heading up the stairs towards the Director's office.

"Are you _sure_, Timmy?" He turned to her, grabbing the handle of the outer office.

"_Yes_. Sarah, _why_ are you pushing this?" She watched as he yanked the door open and turned, heading into the small office where his assistant, Maura, worked. The college student sighed, rolling her eyes as she rushed to catch up. The smaller office was empty; it was, after all, a little after four in the morning. Why Tim wanted to be in the office so early though, went beyond Sarah's rational thought at this time of day. She quickly followed, sticking her foot between the doors to his office before they closed on her, and she kicked the door open, slipping inside as it closed softly behind her.

"Why aren't you-" She found her brother staring out the window, lost in thought. Though she could see his features, warped in the window's glass, she couldn't read the emotions clearly in his eyes. A sigh escape her throat, and she went to the sofa in the far corner, dropping onto it. When Tim turned, it was to seeing his sister lounging on the black leather sofa, her messenger bag dropped unceremoniously on the cushion beside her. He studied her for a moment, before moving around his desk and going to her.

"Look, Sar, I..." He stopped, struggling to find the right words. "I guess I've just started to fully accept that to Dad, I will never be good enough. That in his eyes, I will always be a failure." His sister sat up, reaching out and taking his hands as he took a seat beside her.

"Oh Timmy, you're not a failure. You're the director of one of the five most_ important federal agencies_ in America! And Mama and Penny and I... we're so proud of you!" He sighed, letting Sarah wrap her arms around his neck. She rested her head on his shoulder, sniffling. "I'm gonna miss you, brother. I love you."

Tim squeezed her gently, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm gonna miss you, too. I love you, Sarah."

In four weeks, he'd be taking his baby sister to the airport, to board a plane for Israel. Sarah had gotten accepted into a study abroad program- she would be spending the next semester in the Israeli state, studying at Tel Aviv University- and Tim had never been so nervous. Since their father was full Navy, the siblings had grown up turning to each other, becoming the other's confidante, their best friend; Tim had always been Sarah's protector, and now...

He pulled away, standing. "Come on," She took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "Let's run out for a cup of coffee."

Sarah stopped as he led her to the door. "But what about-"

"I'm the director, Sar. Besides, work doesn't officially start until oh-seven-hundred. We've got time."

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a man of few words- but more often, complete and total silence- and he spent more time observing than talking. He had been there through four directors- Director Ed Kenneth, Director Tom Morrow, Director Jenny Shepard, and Director Leon Vance- seen his share of directorial scandals shake NCIS and leave it standing, but this... the sight of this kid, one of _his_ kids, in the director's chair... took his breath away.

He looked up as the elevator doors opened and someone stepped out; Kate Todd soon entered the bullpen, dropping her gear by her desk and picking up the coffee Gibbs had set on her desk. "Thank you, Gibbs." He nodded, his gaze returning to the desk that had once been Tim's. It now belonged to Agent Delilah Fielding, who'd been transferred from the DOD, little over two months ago. Kate followed his gaze. "Doesn't seem real, does it? That McGee's-"

The two looked up as the elevator doors opened again and the man in question stepped out, his sister in tow. The younger McGee was spending the day with her brother, shadowing him essentially, because Sarah- like her brother- wanted a career in law enforcement. Which was partially why she was going to Israel- she had been accepted to the law enforcement program at Tel Aviv University. Tim said something and Sarah giggled, squeezing his hand. The siblings gave both GIbbs and Kate quick smiles as they passed, heading back up to his office.

Once they were gone, Kate spoke up. "Do you think he's doing good, Gibbs?"

The older man glanced at her. "He's doing fine, Kate." He replied, though he was worried too. It was only Tim's second month as Director of NCIS, and so far, things had gone smoothly, aside from SecNav Jarvis threatening to remove "that kid" from his position because he didn't think Tim was good enough, and wanted someone with more "experience"- but in reality, Jarvis wanted someone who would bow to his every whim, like Shepard and Vance had. And partially because a small part of Jarvis knew that Tim would never do as the SecNav wanted, and he was scared of losing his influence over the Naval agency.

But other than that, things had gone pretty smooth. As Tony and Delilah finally entered the bullpen- engaged in conversation- Gibbs couldn't shake the feeling that things for Tim were about to go from smooth to rocky in hours.

* * *

"I still think you should call Daddy-"

"_Don't, _Sarah." She sighed, rolling her eyes from her place on the leather sofa, where she was working on her final report for her last class of the semester. Ever since Tim had started at NCIS, Admiral McGee had done all he could to make sure his son knew that he was nothing more than an overpaid "paper-pusher," and since finding out that Sarah wanted to follow in Tim's footsteps... well, in short, an argument had broken out over dinner two nights earlier, when the siblings had gone to Alexandria to have dinner with their parents, resulting in the Admiral threatening to disown Sarah if she didn't agree to his terms in regards to her education. Tim had stepped in, protecting his sister as his father- a known alcoholic- had raised his hand to hit her, taking the assault.

"But Tim-" He met her gaze.

"No. I'm _not_ calling Dad. Not after what he did two nights ago." She groaned, though she understood why her brother was reacting the way he was. When John McGee had discovered that his son had become the Director of NCIS- because Tim had kept it from him, and Sarah had spilled the beans- he'd blown a gasket. What had started out as a tense family dinner had ended in a screaming match between father and son, culminating in John disowning his only son and Tim storming from the house, returning to Georgetown that night.

It had been Sarah's fault; Tim had asked her to keep it a secret, and instead, she'd cracked under their father's stern gaze. But Tim didn't hold it against her, he never could. No, Tim held it against his father for being the heartless bastard he was. As of two nights ago, Timothy McGee may have his father's name, but he was no longer a member of the McGee family- not that either Sarah, or their mother, Megan, thought that way. He was still a part of their family, even if John wanted nothing to do with him.

Tim sighed. "I'm sorry, Sar, I just-" He stopped, as Maura poked her head in.

"Director, there's someone from the Israeli Consulate on the phone. Says their director wants to talk to you." Tim quickly glanced at the time. When had oh-seven-hundred rolled around? Tim glanced at his sister before nodding.

"Thank you, Maura." As the woman ducked out of the office, Tim gave his baby sister a smile, before picking up the phone. "McGee."


	2. Chapter 2

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

He glanced at his baby sister as he picked up the phone and softly cleared his throat. "Director McGee."

A moment passed, before the voice on the other end of the line answered. "_Shalom_, Director _McGee_." Tim furrowed a brow, sitting back in his chair.

"You must be from the Israeli Consulate-"

The woman on the other end of the line chuckled softly. "Oh God, no. I had Asara put me through so you would not have to wait." Tim nodded, glancing at his sister; Sarah looked up, catching the confusion on her brother's face. That was enough for her to get up and perch on the edge of his desk, watching the emotions dance through his green eyes.

"I see. And... may I ask... to whom_ exactly_ am I speaking?" She chuckled softly once more, a throaty chuckle that made his heart flip for some reason. Sarah raised an eyebrow, and Tim waved her away. Reluctantly, she returned to the sofa, to her work again, but she kept one ear open.

"Of course. I am the director of Mossad." Tim raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? And what do I owe this call, '_Director_'?" He asked, the sarcasm dripping in every syllable of the last word.

"I want to talk to you about possibly working out an alliance." She waited; she could practically hear the wheels turning in his head as he weighed his responses. "I would like to attach a Mossad Liasion to one of your teams. So that we may catch Ari Haswari."

"Let me get this straight. You want to send over one of your killers-" She started to protest, but he continued. "- to be attached to one of my teams, and you just expect me to fall in line and allow this to happen, without _any_ sort of agreement being drawn up or any face-to-face communication?" She chuckled.

"Would you rather we speak face-to-face, Director McGee?"

"Yes, actually, I would, Director-"

"_Da_vid." She filled in, sitting back in her chair.

* * *

Sarah settled back in one of the cushy movie-theater-like chairs in MTAC, watching as her older brother waited for the techs to pull up the Israeli director. Having listened to only Tim's side of the conversation, she got the feeling that he wasn't too happy to be sidelined with whatever the Israeli director was requesting. Sighing, she flipped open her notebook and jotted down things about MTAC- things that would be useful in her final class assignment for the semester. She didn't notice the image come up on the screen until she heard the voice.

"Ah, Director McGee-"

"And you must be Director _Da_vid." Tim replied; Sarah looked up, to see a young woman sitting back at a desk in an office. Though the image was slightly grainy- something not unusual for technology, no matter how advanced- she was pretty. An obvious Israeli beauty, with sun-kissed tan skin and what Sarah could only guess were dark eyes, the woman looked not much older than Sarah herself. The woman's dark curls were down around her face, small, tight curls that framed her face and only served to enhance her beauty.

She nodded. "Now, shall we discuss-"

"Why?" Tim cut her off. "Why is sending one of your people to help catch Haswari so important to you? My people are doing _just_ fine-" They'd been on this manhunt for the last month, and it was running everyone- but especially Gibbs- ragged.

"Because _your_ people do not know him like mine do." She studied the man. He was tall, with alabaster skin and dirty blonde hair. And if she weren't mistaken, his eyes were emerald. All in all, a very handsome man, one she wouldn't mind getting to know better, were it a different universe.

"He's a killer, Director _Da_vid. One that's targeting my people. I'm not going to allow him to take out my agents on my watch. Haswari is the threat, and he needs to be removed-"

She shook her head, clucking her tongue. "I cannot allow you to do that, Director McGee. Ari Haswari is_ not_ a terrorist. He is a Mossad officer working undercover in Hamas. He is no more a killer than I am-"

"_Says the brown-eyed murderess_." Tim muttered. She narrowed her eyes.

"I am not discussing this any further. I will send one of my officers out." She stopped; her gaze shifted to the side, to something off camera. Her gaze returned to the American, and she let her dark eyes rove over him once or twice. "_Shalom_, Director McGee." She ended connection before Tim could say another word.

* * *

Once the conversation ended, she sat back in her chair, her gaze roaming over everything in her office. Since her father had retired, since he'd given her the position- he'd groomed her for this, after all- she'd found it harder and harder to keep a tight grasp on what was her reality and what was her father's. And discovering that a relationship with America- a good, strong, allied relationship- was one of the things that gnawed at her. Sadly, she had never been out of the country- well, never to America- and she desperately wanted to go. But being Director of Mossad kept her pretty much tethered to Israel.

Her dark gaze landed on the photograph on her desk- of her and her siblings when they were children; taken long before whatever happy home life the three siblings had had shot to hell. Her fingers moved up to fiddle with the Star of David around her throat, and she sighed. Slowly, her gaze slid towards the bookcase. The young woman standing beside it was oblivious to the wheels turning in the older woman's head, though she liked to think she knew the Director well.

They did share blood, after all.

She cleared her throat, causing the younger woman to look up from her book. "Please, have a seat." Slowly, she did as told, studying the Director silently. She watched the other woman sit back in her chair, steepling her fingers.

"What can I do for you, Ziva?" She asked, voice soft. The director watched her for several minutes, thinking.

"I have an assignment for you. You are going to America, to work with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, to help catch Ari Haswari."

"But, Ziva, he is-" The director held up a hand, stopping her protest from going any further.

"I know. But we need to catch him before they do. And since we know him best, who better than to go find him than _you_." The younger woman chewed on her bottom lip, before nodding.

"Very well, Ziva." She stood, heading for the door. As her fingers grasped the doorknob, the other woman's voice stopped her.

"I wish there was another way." She glanced over her shoulder, meeting the director's gaze. "But he is too dangerous. We have no choice. It is better to bring him home than leave him there. We can deal with him here, on our own land, under our own rules. Eli created a monster, and he needs to be stopped. There is no other way."

"I know."

"Be safe, Tali." She met the familiar dark gaze.

"I will." And then, she slipped out of the office; as the door shut behind her, Ziva lay her head back, taking a deep breath, wondering about what she'd just done.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: This skips ahead, and yes, this is a rework of_ Kill Ari 1_ and _2_... **

Tim sighed; he'd just dropped Sarah off at the airport. As much as he hated to admit it, he was glad that his baby sister was getting out of America for a while- even if it meant she was going to be spending her time in a dangerous country.

"There is a young woman here to see you, Director?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, pressing a button on the com. Just what he needed, to deal with another transfer. If this was another one of Fornell's _goons_ asking to transfer to NCIS, he'd-

"Send her in, Maura, please." He heard the door open and shut softly, and looked up, in time to see the woman stop in front of his desk. He blinked; he _had_ to be seeing things. There was no way-

"Director McGee?" He nodded, clearing his throat.

"Yes. And you are?" He asked, as the young woman took a deep breath.

"Officer _Da_vid, sir." She replied, as he got up and moved around his desk, taking her hand firmly. He chuckled softly, not believing her.

"I'm sorry, but the Director-"

"The director is my older sister, Ziva. I am Talia. Or you can just call me Tali." She replied, nodding quickly. Tim nodded, perching on the edge of his desk and studying her. Though she possessed the same sun-kissed skin and dark chocolate eyes, her hair in tight, dark curls, she was considerably younger than the woman he'd talked to weeks ago in MTAC. But there was a resemblance. She took a deep breath, looking around quickly before turning her gaze back to him. So this was the man her sister had been fuming about for weeks on end, the "insufferable Director of NCIS."

Well, he didn't look insufferable to her.

"You are here for Ari Haswari." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I am his probation officer, Director. It is my job to keep a rope on him and take him back to Israel."

"Leash. Keep a leash on him." Tim corrected gently at her confused look. She nodded. "And what makes you think that I will allow you to do that? He is targeting my people. He will be dealt with by _my_ people, not yours." He stood, going back around his desk and turning to study the view out the window. "He is a terrorist, and I will not allow you to return him to Israel where your director will allow him to run wild."

"Ari Haswari is _not_ a terrorist!" She snapped, slamming her hand on the desk; he turned, green eyes sparking. She quickly took a deep breath and cleared her throat. It wouldn't do any good for her older sister to hear about her losing her temper during her first major assignment. "_Please,_ Director, I can help you find Ari. I am his probation officer, he will listen to me."

He studied her a moment, those beautiful green eyes drinking everything in, before sighed. "Fine. Come on, I'll introduce you to the team you will be attached to."

* * *

Gibbs looked up to see Tim come down the stairs, a pretty brunette by his side. When he stopped to the entrance of the bullpen, the other three agents looked up. Tony, who had arrived late as usual, let his gaze rove slowly up and down the woman by Tim's side; he quickly lowered his gaze as Tim cleared his throat. "Agent Gibbs, I'd like you to meet Officer _Da_vid; she is going to help you catch Ari Haswari."

The Team Leader's blue eyes studied the younger woman, even as Delilah got up to welcome her with a quick handshake. Once Tim was certain there wouldn't be any bloodshed, he returned to his office. "So how do you know Haswari?" Delilah asked, as Kate returned to her work.

"I am his probation- control- officer." Tali replied, quickly correcting herself. She had quickly realized that Americans and Israelis had different words for the same things. "And Ari Haswari is working undercover for Mossad. He is not a terrorist, he never has been, and he never will be." Kate raised an eyebrow.

"How can you be so certain of that, Officer David?" She took a deep breath.

"Because I know him, Agent Todd." Tali studied the older woman; her shoulder-length dark hair curled at the ends, and she seemed to be the absolute prim and proper, good little Catholic schoolgirl type. "Agent Caitlin Todd... Former Secret Service, three older brothers, born in Indianapolis, with an older sister... Rachel." The older woman narrowed her eyes.

"How do you know that?"

"I have my ways, Agent Todd." She turned, meeting Gibbs' gaze. He let his blue gaze linger on the Israeli, before he returned to his work. When his phone rang, the other agents went on alert, before Gibbs stood.

"Grab your gear-" The others headed to the elevator, but he turned, stopping Tali in her tracks. "You stay here, Officer _Da_vid." Her mouth dropped, but before she could think of a response, he was gone. She sighed as the elevator doors closed, slowly looking around the bullpen. After a moment, she adjusted her bag on her shoulder and headed in search of the break room. Since the team she was going to be attached to was out, she figured she could at least get a cup of coffee and call her sister, let her know that she got in okay, and tell her of the team Director McGee had attached her too-

She quickly filled a cup with steaming coffee, and then pulled out her phone, quickly dialing her sister's number, but she didn't pick up. She ended the call and sat back in the chair at the table, taking a sip of her coffee. It wasn't exactly Starbucks, or even regular coffee, but it was better than nothing at the moment, she supposed. After she finished her coffee, she left the break room, going back into the bullpen. Pulling out her phone, she dialed her sister's number again, releasing the breath she'd been holding when Ziva picked up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

"He assigned me to Agent Gibbs's team, Ziva. The man is a _bastard_ with a capital_ b_. He... he_ forced_ me to stay at NCIS, while they go out and-" She stopped, ending the call abruptly when the elevator doors opened and Tony and Kate stepped out. She studied their faces, confused for a moment. And then it hit her. "Where is Agent Fielding?"

"In_ critical_ at Bethesda. Thanks to the shootout at the warehouse." Kate replied, refusing to elaborate on how the long-haired, bright-eyed computer tech had ended up forever silenced, brushing past her and heading down to the forensics lab, so that Abby could get started on the evidence she carried. Gibbs had disappeared- possibly heading for MTAC, or out for coffee, and Tony took a seat at his desk. Tali glanced at the clock; she hadn't been aware that two hours had passed. But now that she thought back on it, Gibbs had said something about a warehouse when he and the team left. Slipping her phone back into her pocket, she pushed herself away from the window and wandered over to him.

He watched her, silent. "What?" Tali shrugged.

"Nothing, Agent DiNozzo." The Senior Agent sat back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

"Who are you again? I mean, I heard Probie _say_, but I wasn't fully listening-"

"You call your director... probie?" Tali asked, pulling out her badge and ID.

"It's a term of affection. Director McGee was my partner before he became the director." She nodded, flipping her badge open and allowing him to look.

"Talia _Da_vid. Mossad." His brow furrowed in confusion before it clicked.

"You're Israeli?" She chuckled softly, moving away from his desk and going to Delilah's directly across from his.

"Very good, the way you made that connection. Mossad; Israeli. Your wealthy father must be very proud of your... Ohio State education." She dropped her gear at Delilah's desk, taking a seat in the chair. The white tank she wore pushed up, exposing a thin slice of stomach. She slouched, something her father would never have allowed. She looked around; it was a shame, that she'd just met the woman at who's desk she sat, and as of two hours ago, that woman was clinging to life in the hospital. "I'm here to stop Special Agent Gibbs from_ killing_ a Mossad Officer, Agent DiNozzo."

"A Mossad... wait... that terrorist Ari Haswari?" Tony asked, confused. She nodded, sighing.

"Haswari is not a terrorist, as I have _repeatedly_ told your director. He is a Mossad operative working undercover in Hamas. He hasn't turned on us_ or_ you. All I am is asking is that you do not kill the wrong man!"

"Like Mossad did in Norway?" Gibbs asked, returning to the bullpen. No one heard Tim come down to the bullpen from his watch on the catwalk.

"That mistake cost us dearly!" She snapped.

"Not as dearly as the Palestinian waiter you killed!"

"We owe them proof, Agent Gibbs." Tim spoke up, causing the two men to turn before turning to Tali. "Talia, assure your director that no action is going to be taken before we find _proof_." She nodded, swallowing thickly. She could only imagine Ziva's reaction. Her sister would explode if NCIS did anything before she got her hands on Ari. She knew her sister had a problem with the man, that he had pushed one too many of Ziva's buttons, that he had been on her list to deal with, but that she had never been able to get her hands on him, so she was sic'ing Tali on the task. And Tali, being Ziva's baby sister, was doing as she'd always done; jumping, like she'd been taught.

* * *

_"It is not my fault, Ziva!"_

"How can you say it is _not your fault_, Tali, when_ you_ are the one-"

"I was _not expecting_ Agent Gibbs to be such a-" She stopped, realizing Tony was watching her and then turned back to the window she stood by. _"Ben Zonah."_ She growled, staring at the rain. On the other end of the line, Ziva sighed, and Tali knew that her sister was struggling to keep her temper in check. And then something crashed to the floor.

So much for keeping her temper in check. "Tali-"

"I'm sorry, Ziva, but-" Tali sighed. "This is not what I was expecting when you-"

_"What were you expecting? A child's board game with a giant 'X' telling you where you needed to stop?"_

"No, but-"

"Just_ deal with it_, Talia, or I will _deal with it for you_!" Without another word, her sister hung up. Sighing, Tali pocketed her phone and turned, to find the director's assistant waiting for her.

"Sorry, Officer David, but the Director wants to see you." She nodded, heading for the stairs, but the woman stopped her. "He's waiting for you in MTAC." And then, the woman turned, leading her towards the room in question. As she slipped inside, she recognized the person on the screen.

"Oh great."

"I am telling_ you_, Director McGee, that Ari Haswari will be better off in Israel where we can take care of him-"

"And let me tell you, Director _Da_vid, I am_ not_ going to hand over a terrorist that you will just set free as soon as he steps onto your soil." Tali stayed back, watching as her sister sat back in her chair. If there was one thing Tali knew about her sister as Director, it was that Ziva hated being told what to do.

The old, _"Don't tell me what to do because I won't do what you say"_ fit her sister to a T. Anything involving Mossad or the people she was sworn to protect, was under Ziva's command, and if you dared challenge her, well, be prepared for a death match.

Ziva chuckled. "You do not know me, Director McGee. You do not know what I would do with Ari Haswari once he returned to Israel, and I do not appreciate you assuming that you _think_ you know. I do not assume to know what you will do if you get your hands on him." Tim narrowed his eyes.

"Do you _honestly expect me_ to believe that you will _properly_ take care of Haswari as soon as he sets foot in Israel? Forgive me, Director, if I find it a little hard to believe that you won't let him go." Ziva growled softly, slamming her hands on the desk. Tali jumped; Tim didn't flinch.

"_Will you just listen to me_?" She took a deep breath, before leaning on the desktop. "Haswari is an Israeli. It is better if we deal with him here. I will make sure he is dealt with _properly_. You have my word, Director McGee." Tim studied her for a moment.

"Your word is about as good as the purr in your voice, Director." He replied. "Haswari is my problem, and I intend to have my people deal with him." He turned, as someone entered, and made their way towards him. The agent whispered something to him, and Ziva watched on the screen as Tim's face fell, pained. "Thank you, Agent Muran." He turned back to Ziva when the agent left. "Haswari just cost one of my agents her life, Director _Da_vid. Forgive me if I don't intend to turn the bastard into your custody."

"Now just-" But she watched as Tim yanked a hand across his throat, cutting the signal. Back in Israel, Ziva sat back, growling in agitation.

* * *

Tali rushed to catch up to the director as he left MTAC. "Um... Director McGee?" The young man turned to her, surprised to see her there. "You asked to see me?" A moment passed, before he nodded.

"Yes..." He sighed. "Sorry, Officer _Da_vid. Um..." It was clear that the news about Agent Fielding had caused him to momentarily forget what was going on. "Is there any way your sister would see reason?" Tali thought a moment.

"Zivaleh rarely sees reason, Director. She runs Mossad; they all- myself included- answer to her. She is not as bad as our father, but she is getting there." Tim nodded. He had heard about Eli David, and how ruthless the former director could be- that was, until an assassination attempt robbed him of all function and left the man in a permanent vegetative state in the hospital. From what Tim understood, his oldest daughter had taken over the position and, while not playing by the same ruthless rules as her father, apparently played by her own rules- some just as dangerous and heartless.

"Well, if I have to go to Israel myself, I will make your sister see reason, Officer _Da_vid." And then, he turned on his heel and headed down to the bullpen. The three agents looked up as Tim entered with a soft clearing of his throat. He looked at each one of his former coworkers, before, "I'm sorry to have to tell you all this, but I just got word that Agent Fielding succumbed to her injuries an hour ago."

Tali watched the team closely, as the agents fell into stunned silence.


	5. Chapter 5

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: The image description of Ziva and Rivka is based on a photo of Cote and her little sister.**

She looked up at the sound of sniffling. The bathroom was empty, with the exception of the person sitting on the floor of the handicapped stall. Tali quickly straightened, and then gently pushed the door open. Agent Todd was sitting on the floor, back pressed against the wall, nose and eyes red from crying. "What are you looking at?" The Mossad officer shrugged, silent, before slipping into the stall and leaning back against the closed door.

"I am sorry." She whispered; Kate sniffled and swiped at her nose.

"What do you care? She wasn't your coworker, wasn't your friend. You barely knew her. I worked with her for nearly two months, but we went to school together in Indianapolis. We were neighbors, we grew up together." She took a deep breath. "Delilah had just gotten engaged; and now I have to tell Matt that he'll never get to marry her." She choked on a sob, struggling to remain strong.

Tali took a deep breath, feeling tears begin to sting. She pushed herself away from the door and took a seat beside the former Secret Service agent. Only the soft sound of Kate's sobs occasionally broke the silence. Slowly, Tali reached out to lay a hand on Kate's shoulder, but the older woman jerked away.

"_Don't. Touch. Me_." Tali pulled back.

"I... I am sorry, I... I was just trying to... to make you feel better."

"I don't need your pity. Just leave, please." A moment passed, before Tali rose to her feet, and left, but then turned back.

"I did mean it, Agent Todd. I am sorry." Kate didn't respond.

* * *

Ziva took a deep breath. She hated Director McGee with a passion, and she'd never met the man in person- just over video feed. As she wandered over to the window, looking down on the city of her childhood, she found her mind wandering back to her father. Eli David had been the Deputy Director of Mossad for years, long before Ziva had even been born. Her parents had fallen in love back in college- after Eli had worked as a doctor in the Gaza camps. Of course, he'd had an affair in sixty-eight with a woman, that had resulted in a child, but not that Eli particularly_ cared_ about that child. He'd chased after Rivka for years, finally managing to snare her, making her fall in love with him in the late seventies. They'd gotten married in eighty, and Ziva had been born in eighty-two. Tali had followed in eighty-eighty.

She sighed. The only reason her father had handed the position of director over to her was because of the assassination attempt that had nearly taken his life two months ago. With her mother dead and her sister in the States on her orders, Ziva was the last one of the David family left to visit her father. And so she did, every morning before work, and every evening before going home. And honestly, there were days when she sat by his bed, holding his hand, when she longed to remove the breathing tube from his throat, to unhook the monitors, or take a pillow and hold it over his face until he suffocated, when she longed to help him into the sweet release of death so his mere presence wouldn't taunt her, torment her like it did. From the moment Rivka's body had been found in the wreckage of Ammon, Ziva had begun to doubt the existence of a deity that would take such a loving, gentle soul from the world.

She went to her bookcase, where the image of her and her mother sat-

Even now, standing by the window in her office, playing with the Star around her neck, she could hear his voice, accusing, demanding, in her head. _"You have to control him, Ziva. You are the sharp end of the spear, it is up to you to make Ari and Tali fall into line. I chose you because I know you can uphold my legacy. You are the one that is going to survive, Ziva. It is up to you to take as many lives as you can, before they take yours. I raised you to live, to survive, to outlive whomever gets in your way. You are the sharp end of the spear, I _expect_ you to survive." _

She turned from the window; she'd survived, and her father had nearly lost his life. Tali had become the lynchpin in the family; she was the one that held her family together- sweet, compassionate, humane Tali. That such a sweet soul had been molded into a killer, proved to Ziva that there was no God- that, for her, there had been no God from the moment her mother had been killed. Slowly, her gaze moved to the photograph on her bookcase, and she went to the shelf, picking it up.

She'd been about... maybe ten, twelve at most. They'd been visiting Be'er Sheva, where she'd been born. It had been a nice day, and Ziva had taken a folding chair outside with a book, sitting in the backyard. The green skirt she wore had been the coolest thing she could find for the heat, and she'd paired it with a pink t-shirt. Her long dark hair was down in curls, much like her mother's was. She chuckled; in the photograph, her mother stood behind the chair, her arms folded on top of her oldest daughter's head, the oversized white blouse she wore hiding her hands. That had been about the time Ari went to Edinburgh for his first year of medical school. Tears came to her eyes as she studied her mother's face, the smile forever frozen in time.

"I miss you, _Ima_." Gently, she returned the photo to the shelf, before returning to her desk, the copies of the dossiers she'd had Tali make for Ari staring up at her, with the Director's at the top. Quickly, the flipped open the dossier on the director.

_Timothy McGee._

She studied his photograph, those bright green eyes and that sandy hair; even his photograph made her blood boil. She shoved the open dossier away with a screech before getting up and going to the window.

This whole NCIS-Mossad alliance was going to be the death of her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Tim took a deep breath; he'd just spent an hour talking to Agent Fielding's parents, explaining what had happened and giving his condolences. Even when he'd been an agent, that had been the thing he hated most- having to tell a family that one of their loved ones was gone. He checked his phone, seeing the message from Sarah. His sister had arrived in Tel Aviv right on time, and had finally settle into her dorm room. Good. One less thing he needed to worry about.

He studied his agents from the catwalk, holding his breath as he recognized the look on Gibbs' face; the man strode towards the bullpen, lost, if not physically, then mentally. It was one he'd seen very rarely- when a witness was either killed during an investigation, or when one of his agents was put in danger. Quickly, he rushed down the stairs, meeting Gibbs as he entered the bullpen. "Agent Gibbs-"

The older man turned to him. He_ clearly_ hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. Probably spent the majority of it down in his basement, working on another boat. Tim really didn't blame him. "Abby wants us in her lab, Tim." Gibbs whispered, before heading towards the back elevator. The rest of the team followed, but he spoke up.

"Abby can wait, Agent Gibbs. My office now. All of you." Slowly, the others followed him up to the office, sharing glances. Once they were all seated, Tim turned from the window. He sighed. "I've spoken with Director _Da_vid, and she has made it very clear that we are to hand Haswari over to the Israeli government so that Mossad may deal with him." He glanced at Tali, who stood back near the door, her gear over her shoulder. "I, personally, don't trust a word the Director says. As far as I'm concerned, Director _Da_vid can-"

"Wait a minute, Tim. Did... did you just say Director _David_?" Kate asked. Tim nodded.

"_Da_vid is a _common_ Israeli name." Tali replied.

Tony snorted softly, "A common name, sure, but not so common that you and the Director would _share_ the same last name, David."

"It is pronounced _Da_vid, Agent DiNozzo. Or you can just call me Tali." The older man turned to the young officer, narrowing his eyes, and the other woman sighed. "And... _ken_, yes. The Director has my last name." She licked her lips. "Because she is my sister." She had hoped to keep the team from finding out...

"Your... _your sister_?" Kate choked. Tali nodded.

"My older sister," Tali sighed deeply, breathing the name of the only woman who'd been there to raise her after their mother died; the only woman who'd looked out for her, who'd thought to care about her, love her like Rivka had loved them. "Ziva." She looked up, not at all surprised by the looks on their faces. They were all surprised, except for Tim, who had been told not long after Tali arrived in America. The Director watched her, hands in his pockets; watched his agents as they struggled to digest the news that they were with the sister of the Director of Mossad.

Then, the younger man went to the door of his office; silent, he turned back to them. "Shall we take that evidence down to Ms. Scuito?" Silently the others followed. Once down in the lab, Tim relayed the same information he'd given the team to Abby, who was not at all happy that Tali was there, seemingly taking Delilah's place.

Gibbs nodded, only half listening, going to the row of brass in the evidence jars he'd set on Abby's table. He knelt down, studying the bullets silently before,

"Lapua .308 boat-tail-"

"Molly-coated full metal jacket, what you shot as a Marine sniper, Agent Gibbs... at Mossad, we use Sierra 6.5 hollow points."

Everyone turned, gazes locking on the Israeli. "How do you know what I shot as a sniper, Miss _Da_vid?" Gibbs asked, standing and going to her. Tali stepped back briefly, shifting her bag on her shoulder.

"She profiled you for Ari, Gibbs." Tim replied, when it was clear the younger woman wasn't going to speak up. She turned to the older agent, finding her voice again.

"Ari's missions involve NCIS. As his... control officer, I did dossiers on everyone he might come in contact with."

"It's S.O.P at Komemiute." Gibbs narrowed his eyes at his former Agent, but Tim lifted his chin, and then left, slipping out of the lab; Tony and Kate followed, silent. Abby was the last to trail behind. Once they were gone, Gibbs went to Tali. She sighed, dropping her gear and jacket on the floor at her feet. Sighing, she ran a hand over her face, wandering towards Abby's computer, placing her hands on her hips.

"You know about my first wife and daughter?" He asked, going to the young officer. She turned, meeting his gaze quickly before looking away.

"_Ken_, yes. I... I am sorry."

"Then we know why Ari-"

"If he wanted you to know he is the_ sniper_, why did he use your rifle? An M40?" Gibbs glared at her, and after a moment, she moved away, pacing silently back and forth, thinking quickly. How would Ziva handle this? What would she do? No matter how many missions she'd done, no matter how many lives she'd taken, Tali would never have the audacity Ziva did, the backbone Ziva had. She would never be like her sister, no matter how much she wanted to be. "I still don't believe Ari is the sniper. What you have said should be investigated."

"Well when the media gets wind of this-"

"Are you threatening to go to the media?" Tali asked, moving towards him in several quick strides, cocking her head to the side.

"Not me. This can stay between Mossad and NCIS."

"In exchange for what, Agent Gibbs? Setting up Ari for you to kill?"

"Setting me up for Ari, and if I'm wrong about this, he won't show up. And if I'm right, I'll be counting on you to_ back me up_."

* * *

Tali took a deep breath. She_ should_ have called Ziva; told her what was going on. She knew her sister wouldn't be happy, but at least she'd know what Gibbs had asked. But she hadn't, and now she stood behind the basement door, waiting for the moment to fire. She could hear voices, and leaned close, listening. Her heart stopped as she heard her brother's voice.

"Not you, my father. You have the misfortune of reminding me of the bastard." She sucked in a breath, her own mind going back to the 'bastard' in question- now lying nearly comatose in a vegetative state in the hospital back in Tel Aviv. The man whose lying and cheating had sent Rivka fleeing towards divorce, the man who'd left her and her sister in the woods as children, instructing them to find their own way home; the very man who turned her older sister into the murderous assassin she was, before forcing her into the position he held. Yes, he was a bastard, but he was still their father. She, Ari, Ziva, they all shared his blood, his sense of pride.

"He didn't marry your mother."

"That's what makes me a bastard, not him. From the moment of my birth, he groomed me to be one thing- his mole in Hamas. Sent me to Edinburgh to become a doctor, so I could work in the Gaza camps alongside my mother." He sighed. "But then, my mother was killed, and I had no trouble joining the Iz Adin Al-Kassam."

"You don't really believe your father had your mother killed?" Tali knew what had happened to her brother's _Ima_. She knew that it had been a retaliatory strike that had killed Hasmia Haswari when Ari was in Tel Aviv visiting his sisters and stepmother. She remembered the anguish he'd been in when he found out his mother had been killed in the attack, that it seemed, Hasmia had been the target.

"After decades of planning, he finally had his mole in Hamas, but he never knew how much I hated him. I wish I could see his face, when he realizes he created not a mole, but a monster, eager to strike at the heart of Mossad and Israel." Ari chuckled. "And he does not realize, that in handing Ziva the Directorship, he's created a murderess, far worse than if she were just an assassin."

Tali peeked around the door, watching as Gibbs narrowed his eyes. But instead of asking, he said, "I almost feel sorry for you."

"And I for you." She could hear their footsteps as they moved around the basement. "When Tali told me you were placing flowers near the warehouse where Delilah was shot, I couldn't believe it; such a romantic touch, and it was almost too good to pass up. Almost."

"Why did you?"

"I need you to commit suicide with your own rifle. You never did give me enough credit in our game. I knew it was a trap before Tali told me you asked her to cover you. You'd never trust Tali. Just as you would never trust Ziva, if you met her." He thought a moment. "And you need to kill me, taste the sweetness of revenge."

She watched as Gibbs moved to the steps, and then caught sight of Ari taking aim. "I've killed enough men in my life, Ari. It's going to be just as sweet watchin' you die."

He raised the gun, and she took her own aim, hearing her brother's last words ring loud in the quiet basement. "Sorry to spoil your-"

The shot rang out, hitting him in the forehead and blowing the back of his head out, sending him to the floor in a pool of his own blood. The scent of copper now filled the air, and several minutes, she slipped through the partially closed door. Gibbs looked back at her and then got up, picking the rifle up as she stepped onto the cold cement floor.

"His father was the Deputy Director in Mossad?" She nodded, swallowing.

"Yes."

"Not _Da_vid." She nodded again, swallowing the tears clogging her throat.

"Yes. He is mine and Ziva's half-brother. My sister is the Director of Mossad; our father turned my brother into a monster, my sister into a murderess and me into an assassin. He destroyed all three of us; turning us into something we never would have been, had we been raised by a man who loved us." As Gibbs passed, he squeezed her hand in solace.

* * *

She took a deep breath, swallowing. She had no choice, she had to call, now it was just getting up the courage to put it through. After several minutes, she hit the call button, waiting. "Hello?"

"Zivaleh? It... Ari is dead."

The silence that met her on the other end of the line was deafening.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Time for the directors to meet...**

Tali groaned, unlocking the door to her room at the Embasero Hotel; her eyes were raw, her nose red from crying. She'd sat in Gibbs' basement, singing prayers to Ari as he lay on the cement, blood pooling beneath what was left of his head. A part of her had died when she fired that bullet, and yet, she realized, everything Ari had said was true. Their father had been just as he'd been described. He'd been a terror, torturing his children as they'd grown. Eli had destroyed his family; and Ziva had sent her sister on a suicide mission. All she wanted was to soak in a hot bath, climb into bed, and sleep until she had to return to Israel with Ari's body. This little sojourn couldn't _possibly_ get any worse-

The volume on the TV rose, and she yanked out her gun, rounding the corner, ready to shoot if need be.

"_Shalom_, Talia."

The girl didn't bother hiding her surprise at the sight of her older sister, sitting in one of the chairs near the window, the remote in her hand. She swung the remote slowly back and forth before turning the TV off. Tali's throat clenched, and she struggled to swallow. Her sister, of course, looked as impeccable as ever- long dark curls flowing down her back, the black dress pants she wore with the dark green turtleneck accenting her curves and bringing out her dark eyes. The boots she wore were pristine and shone in the dim light of the hotel lamps. Silently, she set the remote on the table and stood.

Tali took a deep breath, dropping her gear on the floor by her feet. She loved her older sister, with all her heart, but there were times when Ziva scared her, and this was one of those times. "What... what are you doing here?" Ziva shrugged.

"I was just... what is that expression... in the neighborhood? and I figured... I would come see you..." She studied her little sister, before reaching up and gently brushing Tali's curls off her shoulder. She circled the girl, her vulture's gaze drinking in every detail. "I know about Ari."

"Because I called you-"

"No. I know that he died on the basement floor of Agent Gibbs' home, that you put a bullet in his skull, that_ you_ pulled the trigger, instead of arresting him and bringing him_ back_ to Israel. Ari was mine to kill, Talia. _Mine_ to deal with. _I_ am the director." She sighed, thinking. "You deliberately disobeyed me." Gently, she brushed her fingers through her sister's hair. "But I guess I can allow it; you had no choice." She pulled away, going back to the table.

"So... why are you here, Zivaleh?" Tali slowly took a step towards her sister.

"I need to speak with Director McGee." Ziva replied, not looking back. "And I decided, since phone conversation is not getting through to him, then," She turned, meeting her sister's gaze. "Maybe he will _see_ reason."

* * *

The following Monday found the team lost in their own thoughts for the majority of the day. Delilah's loss was felt throughout NCIS, and the death of one of their own would continue to reverberate for the next several weeks. So it was around eleven that morning, that Tony looked up to see Tali enter, followed by another young woman. He instantly perked up, slipping out of his chair and stepping into the hall near the bullpen entrance. "What are you doing back here, Officer David? And..." He let his gaze flick towards the other woman, roving appreciatively up and down before returning to Tali. "Who did you bring with you?"

Tali sighed. "Agent DiNozzo, this is... my older sister, Ziva. The director of Mossad." His hazel eyes widened in surprise.

"Your... your sister... the... the direct..." Ziva studied the agent, before turning to Tali.

"Where is the Director's office?" Tali glanced over her shoulder.

"Up there." She pointed to the catwalk. Ziva nodded, pressing a kiss to her sister's cheek before heading up. Tony and Kate watched her go; Gibbs had gone out for coffee and had yet to return.

"_That's_ your older sister?" Kate asked; Tali nodded, sighing.

_"Ken_. That is my older sister. That is Ziva." She wandered over to Delilah's desk, dropping into it, stomach in knots, waiting for Ziva to be escorted out of the Director's office in handcuffs, because God only knew if she'd lose her temper or manage to keep it in check.

* * *

Maura looked up in time to see the young woman stride towards the Director's office and grab the door handle. "Um, excuse me, but you... do you have an appointment?" Ziva glanced at her. "You can't go in there-" Without a word, the woman opened the door and slipped inside, ignoring the assistant's protests. She shut the door softly, studying the director from her place near the exit. He didn't seem like the hothead she'd encountered over video feed. A moment passed before she stepped forward, softly clearing her throat.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Maura-"

"I do not know what you tell... Maura, but I can bet that whatever she has to ask is not very important." Tim's head snapped up from his paperwork; he was surprised to see a woman standing on the other side of his desk, her hands behind her back. She looked familiar, but with the past week-

"I'm sorry... do I know..." A moment passed, before he realized who it was, sighing. "Officer _Da_vid, you are_ supposed_ to be back in Israel-" The woman chuckled softly, lowering her head briefly.

"I can assure you, Director McGee, Tali will return to Israel when I see fit... and... I am not my little sister." She laid a hand on her chest. "Ziva." Tim narrowed his eyes.

"Ah, _Director Da_vid." He stood, moving around his desk and holding out a hand. She took it, shaking firmly. "What are you doing here, in my territory?" She sighed, letting her gaze wander over him as he perched on the edge of his desk.

"We need to talk." He raised an eyebrow.

"You came all the way from Israel to _talk_?" She chuckled, licking her lips, her gaze slowly working its way over him once more, this time taking in every little detail she could see.

"It is about Talia." She replied, moving away and going to the sofa, keeping a good amount of distance between the two. The further away she was, the harder it would be for her to jump him like she desperately wanted to. He was even sexier in person; with that alabaster skin and those bright green eyes, he made his photograph pale in comparison. Tall, slender, he looked like someone who's quiet presence commanded a room whenever he stepped into one. She took a seat on the sofa, quickly finding herself the object of his study.

He moved away from the desk, wandering over to her, hands in his pockets. She was small, lithe, with olive skin and long dark hair pulled back in a slick, smooth ponytail. The grey pantsuit she wore with the red blouse and black heels accented her figure perfectly, but it was her dark eyes that enchanted him. "What about Officer _Da_vid?" He perched on the table next to the sofa, meeting her gaze.

"I want Talia to remain here, to work counterterrorism with NCIS. It would be better if she were here than back at Mossad for now. With Ari's death, she will only be a target for the other agents and officers- because all in Mossad wanted the chance to track Ari Haswari down, and all were disappointed when I assigned Tali as his control officer- and I want to protect her as much as I can. So she is to remain here, under your jurisdiction." She stood, realizing that what she had planned to say, that her plan to chew him out, had gone out the window as soon as she looked into those beautiful green eyes.

"Why should I allow your sister to stay here, Director _Da_vid? How would she benefit NCIS?" Ziva went to him, kneeling until they were eye to eye.

"She would be_ safe_. I want my sister to be safe, Director McGee. I cannot lose another sibling." Tim narrowed his eyes, understanding.

"Another? Ari Haswari-" She nodded, standing.

"_Ken_. Yes. He is my half-brother, Tali's half-brother." She moved away from him, going to the window and leaning against it; the Washington Monument stood proud against the skyline. She took a deep breath, trying to relax. When she glanced over her shoulder, she found Tim perching on the edge of his desk, arms crossed. He waited, silent. A sigh escaped her lips, and she suddenly realized that this was going to be harder than she thought. "Why are you requesting that your sister be placed at NCIS, Director?"

A moment passed, before Ziva pushed herself away from the window, stopping inches from him. "She needs to get away from Mossad for a while, Director McGee. Away from me."

"Your brother was a Svengali, Director _Da_vid." Tim whispered; he caught sight of something flashing in her dark eyes, and she choked on a breath.

"Like father, like son." She whispered, tears unwillingly choking her voice. The woman met his gaze, and he could see the tears in her eyes; silent, he reached out, taking her hand and squeezing gently. Her gaze moved down, and she sniffled, surprised, though she refused to let it show.

"How do I know you aren't trying to just dump your sister on NCIS to get rid of her?" Ziva met his gaze; they stood were inches apart now, if she leaned slightly closer-

"Because if I wanted to get rid of her, Director McGee, I would have killed her_ myself_." Her dark eyes shifted quickly to his lips before meeting his gaze again. "She will be safe here. Please,_ Tim_." The way her mouth, her lips, her breath, caressed his name, caused his heart to speed up. It was like listening to the sweetest melody.

Slowly, they closed the gap between them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: A first meeting _and_ a kiss, all in one chapter... well, it's _bound_ to be interrupted.**

To say Tim was startled, was putting it lightly. For the first few seconds, he allowed her to kiss him, but soon, the realization that the _Director of Mossad_ was kissing him kicked in, and he reached up, taking her upper arms and gently pushing her away. He could see the same startling realization in her eyes that he was sure were reflected in his, and slowly, he took a deep breath. This beautiful, exotic woman had kissed him, and he found himself wanting to kiss her back-

"Ziva-" She studied his eyes, before shaking her head and leaning close, capturing his lips once more in a soft kiss. She moved closer, perching on the edge of the desk beside him, and slowly, her hands slid up his chest, cradling his neck.

_You shouldn't be doing this! You're kissing the _Director_ of Mossad!_ He found himself caught in a tug of war- the rational side of him screaming that this was wrong, while the carefree side of him was screaming to keep kissing her. Slowly, despite the rational side of him, he slid his hands along her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened.

He tasted like coffee, the sweetness of sugar and the sharpness of coffee beans mixing together; she wanted more,_ needed_ more. After a moment, she slowly, cautiously ran her tongue along his bottom lip, hoping her light touch would grant her entrance. After several seconds, he allowed it, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. For as insufferable as the man had turned out to be, he was a _very_ good kisser.

"Director McG-" Tim pushed Ziva away, turning to find Maura standing in the doorway, a file in her hands. The young assistant stood with her mouth hanging open in shock, eyes wide. Tim took a deep breath, adjusting the collar of his shirt.

"Yes Maura, what do you need?" He stood, instantly moving away from Ziva and going to the young woman. It took several minutes for the woman in question to get over the shock of seeing her boss locked in a deep kiss with the Director of Mossad... or, well, anyone, really.

"Um... uh... you... you're wanted down in... in... M...T... TAC... sir..." He nodded.

"Thank you, Maura." She nodded, taking the opening to flee. Once she was gone, Tim turned back to Ziva, narrowing his eyes. The woman had gotten up and was slowly meandering towards him, a delighted gleam in her dark eyes. "You did that on purpose."

"Now why would you think that, Director?" She asked, sliding up to him and laying a hand against his chest. He studied her for several minutes, but her gaze was on his shirt; slowly, her hand slipped down his chest, moving over his slacks and stopping to gently caress him. She grinned, biting her lip, pretending to play coy; Tim growled softly, not wanting to deal with the Mossad Director's antics, and he yanked her away, walking her back towards the closed doors. Her back hit the wall, and before Ziva could say a word, his mouth was on hers, hands tugging her blouse out of her slacks and slipping beneath the silky fabric to fondle her breasts.

If she wanted to play, he'd play.

_This isn't right, you shouldn't be doing this. Do you know how much trouble you'll get into?_ Her arms moved up, hands tangling in his hair as he moved his mouth from hers to her neck, and then to her chest. He quickly undid the buttons until enough of the fabric was open to give him a good view of her cleavage. _Just shut up! You're not an agent anymore, and she's not a coworker! Rule Twelve doesn't apply!_ He nipped gently at each soft mound, before moving to-

"Director? You're needed in MTAC." He pulled away at the voice over the phone and, for once, silently cursed the fact that he was now the head of the entire NCIS agency instead of a field agent. Glancing at his companion, he whispered,

"If sex and seduction are how you want to play your little games, Director, then be prepared for a little competition. I've always been very good at games." Ziva chuckled softly, meeting his gaze.

"I look forward to your next move, Director McGee." She smirked, yanking on his hair, pulling his mouth down to hers for one last heated kiss. Finally, he was forced to pull away, slipping out of the office and heading to MTAC. Once he was gone, Ziva buttoned her blouse and tucked it in again, before wandering towards his desk. Running her fingers over the smooth oak, she took a seat in the chair, sitting back.

_Play games_, he'd said. She chuckled. She could play games as well as any man, and she looked forward to playing this one with the Director of NCIS.

* * *

Tim didn't have to look up as Gibbs took a seat beside him in MTAC. He could feel his old boss's ice blue stare, but didn't bother making eye contact. "Something I can help you with this morning, Special Agent Gibbs?" The older man sighed. Tim knew what it was about; even though Tali's older sister had shown up today and asked in person for her to be assigned to the team, the request had been put in days earlier, and Tim had signed it, without any thought to his old teammates or how the Team Leader would react. He wanted to keep Tali David around for a while, to determine if she could be trusted, and whose side she chose. To say the girl Ziva shared blood with was a chess piece in this little tournament was an understatement.

She was the baton being passed in a fucking four man Olympic relay.

"I've got a personnel issue, Tim. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?" Tim met the older man's gaze.

"Did you just expect Talia to disappear overnight? Right." He sighed at his former boss's stare. No matter how much power Gibbs wielded over his team, Tim wasn't a green rookie anymore, and the older man didn't intimidate him, not like when he'd first joined the team all those years ago. "Before we get into this, I'm gonna need a refill." He moved to stand, but Gibbs popped the top of his cup off and poured half of the contents of his own cup into his former agent's. Tim winced. "Um... thank you..." He picked the cup up and set it in another cup holder, no way was he drinking that.

"What is she still doing here, Tim?" The young director sighed.

"If we're gonna fight a global war on terror, we need to work closely with our allies. None of the other directors considered doing that; I have and I am. NCIS isn't going to be stuck in the past, Gibbs. I'm gonna bring it into the future, and Talia working here will help."

"Fine, but put her on somebody else's team."

"I want her with you, Jethro." Tim replied; the older man narrowed his eyes. None of his kids had ever called him that; Tim was the first. It took every ounce of willpower for Gibbs not to slap the back of the man's head.

"Mossad trained her to spy and kill, not to investigate crime scenes._ Send her to the CIA_, Tim."

The former agent met his old boss's gaze. "Just to be clear, this is not a request or a debate, Agent Gibbs."

"Anything else you want to change about my team while I'm here?" Tim sighed.

"Look, if anything, you're lucky to have her. I hear she's one of the finest agents that ever worked in Europe and Israel."

"Why didn't you _ask_ me first, Tim?"

"And what would you have said?" Gibbs narrowed his gaze. "_Exactly." _ He took a deep breath. "Number eighteen,_ It is better to seek forgiveness than ask permission_."

"That's a real nice touch, Tim. Using the rules I taught you against me-"

"I learned from the_ best_, Jethro. I want Talia to as well."_ And that means I'll keep a tight leash on you and Officer David._ "Are we done, or is there anything else you want to chew me out for, Agent Gibbs?" When he looked over, Gibbs was gone.

* * *

Tali looked up; Gibbs was making his way towards her. She quickly stood, taking a deep breath as she waited. The older man took a deep breath, clearly not happy with whatever decision had been made.

"Officer _Da_vid will be with us for a while." Kate raised an eyebrow and Tony's jaw dropped in surprise. "Director _Da_vid and Director McGee have clearly decided that it would be best if our two agencies work together- under the pretense that Mossad are our allies."

Up on the catwalk, Tim stood, watching as the team drank in the news. He chuckled as Tali moved towards Delilah's desk, and Gibbs grabbed the back of her gear. "All of Talia's personal possessions are being shipped from Tel Aviv to Washington." He turned, seeing Ziva at his shoulder. Silent, he returned to his study of his agents, watching as Gibbs pushed Tali towards the partitioned desk next to Delilah's.

Ziva moved closer, laying a hand on his waist, gently stroking her fingers up his spine. He stiffened, never taking his gaze off the bullpen, even when Gibbs told the team to gear up. He felt Ziva stop her stroking of his back when Gibbs demanded all of Tali's weapons, but he didn't take his gaze off the scene playing out below. "Is that really necessary?" Ziva whispered, watching as her sister handed Gibbs the gun she kept at her back. Tim chuckled, watching.

"And your backup."

"What backup?"

"Left leg." Tali sighed, pulling out the gun and handing it to him. "And the knife, concealed at your waist." Tim glanced at Ziva out of the corner of his eye; the shock on her face most likely mirrored her sister's expression. "You can keep this." Chuckling softly, Tim pushed himself away from the catwalk, and headed back to his office. Ziva stayed, watching as Tali rushed to catch up. The officer turned, feeling someone's eyes on her, and locked gazes with her older sister before following.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

She found Tim sitting at his desk, working on paperwork. Silently, she moved to perch on the edge beside him, studying the man. "Something I can do for you, Director _Da_vid?" She raised an eyebrow as he looked up, sitting back in his chair. She shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips.

"No. Not that I can think of." She replied, moving close and leaning down. Her lips brushed his, and she grinned as she pulled away.

"When does your flight leave?" Ziva sighed, meeting his gaze. It was getting _really_ hard to fight whatever attraction sizzled between the pair.

"Friday." She whispered, her eyes moving down to his lips. He mirrored her gaze, before capturing her lips in his. She drank him in, enjoying his taste as her hands moved up to tangle in his hair. "Why?" He chuckled as she pulled away.

"I was just thinking... we could... get to know one another over dinner-"

"Why Director McGee, are you asking me out?" He grinned.

"Only if you say yes." She matched his grin with one of her own, pulling back to glance over her shoulder. The last thing she wanted was to have his assistant walk in on them again. Ziva hated being interrupted.

"Only on the condition that we stop for dessert." She whispered, as he reached up, grasping the back of her neck.

"Did you even have to ask?" Their lips met once more, and the kiss sent shivers down Ziva's spine.

* * *

Gibbs looked up to see Tim step onto the catwalk, Ziva following. Eventually, they came down to the bullpen, and Gibbs grabbed Tim's arm. The team had since returned from their crime scene. "Officer _Da_vid nearly killed my entire team today, Director McGee."

"How?" Tim asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Driving home from a crime scene." Ziva snorted from her place behind the young director.

"I am sorry, Agent Gibbs. I forgot to tell you; I believe my baby sister was an Eastern European cabdriver in another life." She glanced at Tali, who blushed, ducking her head. "Then again, our mother taught me, and our father taught Tali. It will not happen again, _right, Talia_?" The younger girl's head snapped up, meeting her sister's gaze, and she quickly nodded. "Good." Ziva went to the younger girl, reaching out and gently caressing her cheek. She held her sister's chin in her hand, studying her features, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "_Shalom_, Talia."

When she headed for the elevator, she stopped, giving Tim a small smile. He walked her to the elevator, waiting until she'd stepped inside to let the smile tug at his lips. _Meet me at the Embasero Hotel, at seven this evening._

As he turned to head up to his office, he found himself face-to-face with Tali. "Officer _Da_vid." She studied the man, her dark eyes sparking when she found what she was interested in.

"You like my sister, Director McGee. I can see it in your eyes. Do you even know what you are getting into?" Tim raised an eyebrow, before slipping past her.

"I think I can handle your sister, Officer _Da_vid."

* * *

"I have never walked on the beach."

"Never?" She shook her head. He'd met her at the Embasero as she'd asked, and then taken her to this small hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant he knew of. She looked beautiful in the deep green halter dress she'd chosen to wear with those black heels. Her hair was pulled back in a beautifully swept French twist, small strands clinging to her face and neck. Her makeup was minimal, and she only wore the Star of David around her neck. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Never. Israel has no beaches. Well... There are no beaches near _Tel Aviv_ and if there are beaches in Israel, I have never seen them because I am rarely out of the city. I spend the majority of my time in my office, or at the Embassy or in my apartment... alone." Tim raised an eyebrow; he hadn't expected that answer. A moment passed, before he chuckled; he knew what she was implying, and played along, hoping to see that smile that she'd flashed when he picked her up.

"Well, then you_ have_ to go down to Cape May, it's got a beautiful beach. And some of the nicest restaurants in the D.C. area... small, secluded... perfect for... two people." She grinned as he lifted his glass of red and took a sip.

"You should take me sometime." He met her gaze.

"Maybe I will. I bet I could show you a great time." She chuckled, enjoying the challenge he'd presented.

"I bet you could."

* * *

The ride back to the hotel was mostly quiet- until Tim decided to take a detour. Ziva looked up when they pulled up near a bridge and parked. "Thank you, James. We won't be long." He turned back to Ziva. "Come on." She narrowed her eyes.

"Where are we going?" He turned to her after climbing out of the car.

"Now why would I tell you that? Not knowing is half the fun." Ziva raised an eyebrow. "Don't you trust me?" He asked, holding out a hand. She glanced at his long slender fingers, wrapped snuggly in the leather gloves he wore against the sudden rainy, cold New England weather. A part of her longed to remove the gloves and press kisses to each fingertip, to feel her body being caressed by each long, slender finger, just as he'd cradled that wine glass earlier at dinner. Slowly, she reached out, laying her own gloved hand in his. She'd been unprepared for the cold weather, but had thought to pack a pair of gloves and a coat at the last minute. Thank God she had.

As he pulled her from the car, she said,

"I have not... yet decided if I can trust you, Director McGee."

He pulled her close as he shut the door so she didn't get hit; the feel of her against him sent excited butterflies to work in his stomach, and he grinned. "Tim."

She swallowed, struggling to slow the racing of her heart as she stared into those emerald eyes. In a soft, loving voice, she whispered,

"Tim."


	10. Chapter 10

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: And now, we find out the reason why Ziva's turned so cold...**

**Thanks to Zyid137 for reviewing 4; Jar, Bookloverz22, earthdragon, Reader and Toni Michelle for reviewing 9; and puppypants for reviewing 1, 5 and 9.**

"We need to talk, Officer _Da_vid." Tali glanced at Tony, Kate and Gibbs the following morning, before getting up and following Tim to his office. Once the door closed behind them, Tim gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa in the corner. He quickly poured two mugs of coffee and handed one to her as he sat by her side.

"What... what do you want to talk about, Director?" She sipped her coffee, feeling his green eyes studying her intently.

"I need to know about your relationship with your father, and why your... sister is the way she is." Tali stopped, mid-sip, glancing at him. He waited, and after a moment, she lowered the mug and wrapped her hands around it. A soft sigh escaped her throat, and she glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Because I want to know who I'm dealing with."

"So, instead of going to the source, you go to me?" Tali met his gaze, uneasy. Tim shrugged, setting his mug on the low coffee table.

"She's your sister. You know her better than anyone." The young woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She mentally weighed her options; on the one hand, if she told Director McGee, he'd probably go after her sister with a pitchfork. On the other, Ziva would kill her.

"Our mother... she died when Zivaleh was... fourteen. I was twelve. Killed, in a suicide bombing in Ammon. Ziva was... exceedingly close to _Ima_. When she died..." Tali swallowed thickly. "Ziva turned in on herself, you Americans would say."

"She closed herself off." Tali nodded.

"Became... pro... promis.."

"Promiscuous." Tim whispered. Again, the girl nodded, choking on a sob. "Because your mother died?"

"Ziva valued _Ima_'s opinion above anyone else's, Director McGee. Followed _Ima_ around like a... like a dog, begging for dinner. And_ Ima_ doted on her; wouldn't allow Abba to touch her, let alone shape her into the assassin he wanted. They were closer than... anyone I have ever met." Tim watched as the light in Tali's eyes faded slightly and she lowered her head, studying the mug in her hands.

"So your sister was the favorite, was your mother's favorite." Tali nodded, confirming silently.

"When _Ima died_..." She swallowed, glancing up at him. Tears glistened in her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, turning back to her hands. "Ziva was ripe for the plucking."

"Picking." Tim gently corrected.

_"Abba... Abba_ started grooming her for Mossad; she was only twelve, but... it didn't matter. With Ima out of the way... he would have his assassin. And Ziva... Ziva sought revenge."

"For your mother's death?" Again, Tali nodded.

"She... never has... found the people who... who killed_ Ima_... but..." The girl drew a shaky breath. "But she... she _tries_..."

"So... this... going after Ari, and the way she acts towards you and... how she runs Mossad..."

"She thinks... if she tries _hard enough_... if she searches_ long enough_, and... focuses on.. on_ other terrorists... on troublemakers_... on... then_ maybe_..."

"Maybe she'll find your mother's killer?"

"Yes." Tali met his gaze, forcing herself to turn from the mug in her hands once more. "Ziva... she really isn't... she is... she is sweet, Director McGee, and kind, it's just... she has become so focused on... on finding _Ima_'s killers that..."

"It's taken over her life." Tim whispered, and Tali nodded, whimpering softly. He gently laid a hand on Tali's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Thank you, Officer _Da_vid. You can go." Without a word, Tali left, rushing down the stairs once she'd reached the catwalk. Tim sighed, getting up after a moment. He knew all about wanting revenge, he'd witnessed it first hand; when Mike Franks- Gibbs's mentor- had been murdered, the Team Leader had gone on a manhunt, searching for the killer. He'd gotten the guy, but it had nearly destroyed him in the end. As he went to the window, he stopped, glancing at his phone. Without hesitating, he picked it up, dialing quickly.

* * *

Ziva looked up from the window of the hotel. Tali dropped her bag by the door and wandered over to her, hands in the pockets of her coat. She stopped feet from her sister, studying the older girl silently. "What is bouncing around in your head so intensely?" Tali remained silent, and Ziva turned back to the window. "You will give yourself a headache if you don't stop thinking for once, Talia."

"Like you, and Director McGee?" Ziva released the curtain, turning from her study of the horizon and towards her baby sister. Her dark eyes narrowed.

"I am sorry?"

"Did you sleep with him? Last night." Ziva moved away, heading for the bed and grabbing her jacket. "I told him, Zivaleh." Her sister stopped. "About _Ima_. About how... all you are doing is... searching for revenge... by disposing of every threat you can think of. He asked me, Ziva. I _had_ to tell him. He _needed_ to know. He needed to know so he won't get involved with you. Because all you will do is kill him." Her sister turned, dark eyes narrowing. "_Please, tell me_ you _did not_ sleep with Director McGee."

"What if I did, Tali? What is it to you?" Tears came to the younger woman's eyes, and she took a shaky breath.

"This has to stop, Ziva. You will never catch them; you will die before you do. I know you were close to_ Ima_, but... but_ Ima_ is_ gone_, Zivaleh. And Ari is gone. And _Abba_ is all but dead to us. Please, stop. I... I cannot lose you too."

_"Ari knew, Tali!"_ Ziva replied, stepping up to her sister. "He _knew_ who killed her! He_ knew_ where they were! He had their location... I was _this close_!" She cried, holding up her fingers. "I was going to take him back to Israel and have him hand over the information!

"And then kill him? Ziva,_ he was our brother_!"

_"Our brother was gone!"_ She snapped. "He died a long time ago, Tali!_ Abba_ turned him into the monster, _not me_! I didn't do it to him! I_ used_ him, _I almost had what I needed to catch Ima's killers, and your bullet, your shot took that away!"_ She pushed her sister; Tali stumbled, but regained her balance, meeting her sister's eyes. "She was_ our mother_, Talia." The older woman ground out, before turning and storming from the room, slamming the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: The alternate title for this: _Playing Politics_. But that title didn't seem to fit as well as _Directing Chaos_.**

**Thanks to DS2010, countrynciscatlover and Reader for reviewing 10.**

The breeze was warm, and Ziva took a deep breath, breathing in the rain-kissed D.C. air. She took a seat on a bench, watching people come and go, heading to the Navy Yard or just being out and about. But one person in particular caught her gaze. No, that couldn't be.

"Director McGee." Tim turned, hiding the surprise he felt at seeing Ziva sitting in the common, a cup of coffee in her hands.

"What are you doing out here, Director _Da_vid?" He took a seat beside her, studying the younger woman. She seemed to be the exact opposite of Talia- smaller, yet much more... blunt. She was very pretty, petite; almost as if she'd been shoved into a cabinet and hadn't quite stretched out to her original height yet. She'd managed to pull her unruly hair into a ponytail that ended in a wild mass of tangled curls down her back, and she wore a pair of black slacks and a blue blouse; her jacket lay next to her, tossed over the bench as though it were a sofa.

"I could ask you the same, Director McGee." She replied, meeting his gaze. He studied her eyes, before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Came out to get some air. There are just... days when I can't stand being in that office." Ziva nodded; she knew all too well what it was like to be cooped up in an office, dependent on herself and being forced to be the one everybody turned to. Not that she didn't mind being Director, there were just days when the job got to her, and all she wanted to do was tear her hair out. But her father had handed the position down to her, not her brother or her sister or anyone else, and it was up to her to keep Mossad from imploding, just as it was up to Tim to keep NCIS from imploding.

"I know the feeling." They locked eyes, before she sighed. "Talia told me."

"Look, I need to know." He shifted to face her; their knees brushing. The simple contact sent Ziva's heart racing. She forced herself to stay where she was; the last thing she needed to do was kiss him here, in front of random strangers.

"About what?" She whispered softly, gaze going from their touching knees, slowly up the length of his torso.

"About why you're really here. And why you're demanding Talia stay once you leave. And I also need to know about Ari Haswari." Her dark eyes snapped up to meet his, and she opened her mouth, but he beat her to it. "I asked her yesterday, and she told me. About your mother, and how you're bent on revenge. But what I need to know, is where Haswari fits into all this. And Talia. I know where you fit in, but I need the other two pieces of the puzzle for it to make sense."

Ziva rolled her eyes. She was gonna kill Tali. The girl could keep her mouth shut when she damn well wanted to, but if she even had the slightest chance of blabbing, she took it, telling anyone who would listen- at least, when she deemed the information important enough. Clearly, she'd not only told Tim yesterday, but had caught up to him this morning as well, and reiterated the death of their mother's murder; essentially, she was trying desperately to turn him against her sister. The Mossad director snorted softly.

Two could play at this game.

"Director McGee, what Talia told you yesterday was... a fabrication. A story. She was distraught when_ Ima_ died, and blames me for her death. I love Tali, but when it comes to _Ima_'s death, we have never been able to agree." Then, she stood, grabbing her jacket and turning to go when she stopped and turned back. Before she could back out, she leaned down, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

* * *

Her back hit the wall of the bathroom before she could blink. "Why Director McGee, you are aware this is the ladies' room, yes?" But Tim just narrowed his eyes, keeping her pressed against the wall. She hadn't been aware that he'd followed her minutes later from the commons, but instead of heading upstairs, he'd grabbed her arm down in the lobby and yanked her into the nearest bathroom, pressing her up against the door once it closed behind them.

"Now you listen to me, Director _Da_vid." Tim growled, studying her gaze. "I don't know what game you're playing, but whatever it is-" She glanced down at their bodies, realizing how close their hips were, and slowly, slid an arm down around his waist, slowly pressing her hips against his.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Director McGee." She purred, meeting his gaze as she slid her other arm up, cradling his head in her hand and pulling him down to capture her lips in his. He pulled away after only a couple of minutes, but it was long enough to send his heart leaping into his throat with desire.

"I'm not stupid, Director _Da_vid. I know you want revenge for the men who killed your mother, but leaving Talia here isn't going to get rid of the problem. If you're leaving her here for some reason other than your mother's death, I _need_ to _know_. And I need to know before you board that plane on Friday." Her dark eyes searched his as she sighed, gently playing with his shirt buttons.

"Maybe I should stay then, if you do not trust me. I can just as easily run Mossad from Washington D.C., as I can from Tel Aviv. And you will get the... answers you so desire." He narrowed his eyes.

"If this is some sort of..." He took a deep breath. "If I find out you're playing politics with my agency, Director-"

She chuckled, eyes moving to meet his as she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss that this time shut him up. "I do not know about you, Director McGee, but I do not play politics."


	12. Chapter 12

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to countrynciscatlover and Reader for reviewing 11.**

Their lips crashed, bodies sliding together as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She tangled a hand in his hair, letting the silky strands fall through her fingers as she drank in his kiss, running her tongue gently against his lower lip. He yanked her closer, reaching down and lifting her up, holding her against the door. Her legs slid around his waist, locking her to him as the kiss deepened, and after a moment, she reached down, working one of the buttons of his shirt free-

He pulled away, a breathless chuckle escaping his lips as he shook his head. He quickly set her down, searching her face as confusion clouded her eyes at the abruptness of the kiss ending. "I don't play politics, Director _Da_vid. And I usually don't play games..." He pulled away, looking her up and down quickly with a smirk. "But I'll play with you. Chess or-"

"Checkers?" She asked breathily, recognizing the old ploy. He snorted, shaking his head before grabbing the door. As he pulled it open, he leaned close, whispering,

"Chess." His green eyes darted to her lips quickly, before he continued. "Talia can stay, as long as you stay with her. You're not going back to Tel Aviv. I want to be able to keep an eye on both of you, effective immediately. And even if that means you have to run Mossad from D.C., you run Mossad from D.C., _are we clear_?" She met his gaze, nodding silently. "Good." He then, in the most casual manner, leaned down and brushed a teasing kiss to her lips before pulling away. "It's your move," He smirked. "Ziva."

And without another word, he was gone, leaving her to catch her breath against the door once it closed.

* * *

Tali looked up as Tim strode past the bullpen. He didn't say a word, but glanced back towards her as he headed across the catwalk towards his office. She met his gaze, taking a deep breath. She quickly lowered his gaze and then looked up, finding him gone. Minutes later, her sister stepped off the elevator, striding towards the stairs. But Ziva stopped when she felt Tali's eyes on her and turned. Her heart froze in her chest, and Tali watched in stunned silence as her sister glanced over her shoulder and then glanced back towards the stairs. She reached up, unaware that she was still the object of her little sister's study, and brushed a finger along her lower lip, removing the smeared, light plum-colored gloss she'd applied earlier in the day. Then, with a quick toss of her head, she headed up the stairs, ponytail snapping as she strode towards the Director's office. Once gone, Tali released the breath she'd been holding, and slowly got up from her chair.

On shaky legs, she stumbled towards the break room, latching onto the counter where the coffeemaker sat. She took several deep breaths, closing her eyes as she leaned against the counter. She knew her sister well enough to know those mannerisms, to know what each one meant. She'd often woken up in the middle of the night, to find her older sister sneaking back into the apartment, her clothing disheveled and her hair in tangles, her makeup a mess.

It had been really bad after _Ima_ died; Ziva, who'd always been the good, older daughter, sought out company with her male classmates, doing what they did, getting into trouble, so that Eli would have to wring her in, often with a good physical threat. Tali had hoped that her sister's phase would pass, but as Ziva got older, the behavior just got worse. She spent her time outside of school frequenting dangerous circles, looking for information on their mother's murder, exchanging anything she could for even the tiniest scrap of information- no matter how inaccurate or fictional.

First it was her diamond and onyx bracelet that Eli had given her for her tenth birthday; then it was her prized collection of American novels, ranging from Fitzgerald to Uris; and finally, her virginity.

That last trade had taken place in a weapons carrier, in the old Palestine village near where Ziva had been born. She'd found out that the older brother of a friend of hers knew something on their mother- possibly- and when Ziva had asked his price, he'd kissed her. Tali, of course, had awoken that night to find Ziva sneaking back into their room, dressed in only her bra, sweater and jeans; her shirt had been balled up and hidden in her bag, along with her underwear. She'd begged Tali not to tell, and the two sisters had silently cleaned up Ziva's mess, before slipping into Tali's bed. As Ziva had curled around her sister, nuzzling her neck, she'd asked the one thing she'd wanted to know since Ima died-

_Why?_

In a voice dulled by screaming and exposure to the cold, Ziva had told the younger girl that he'd given her the names of three men that were responsible for the bombing that killed Rivka- false leads that had only given false hope and led to dead ends. In the end, he'd lied to get what he wanted; her older sister's virginity, by playing to Ziva's one major weakness: her desperate, deeply buried search for attention. She had then wrapped her arms tight around Tali, burying her face in her sister's hair, sobbing.

Now, though, as Tali opened her eyes and grabbed the pot, pouring some into a mug, she told herself that Ziva was older; she wasn't that lost, broken teenager anymore. That her sister's cycle of self-deprivation _wouldn't_ begin again. But she knew the signs; the glances over her shoulder, the toss of her head, how she subtlety swiped at the lip gloss streaked along her cheek. And though Ziva wouldn't admit it, she'd chosen Director McGee to be her next conquest- in the vain, disturbing hope that he would be able to help her solve their mother's murder.

Her sister wasn't a slut or a whore, far from it; she just used... questionable methods to get what she wanted; in this case, information.

She poured the last of the pot into the mug and glanced at it; something about break room coffee made her sick, but it was better than allowing her stomach to eat itself, otherwise she'd throw up. Taking a deep breath, she finished it, coughing softly as she forced it down. Once she set the mug down, she leaned against the counter, telling herself that this wouldn't be like last time, that this wouldn't be like when Ziva had batted those dark eyes at the American Ambassador and asked him to help her, for the sake of her father's heart. That this wouldn't be like the last time she ran off, disappearing for days, only to turn up in _Cairo_, chasing dead mice into hamster-wheeled corners.

Yes, Tali prayed that this _wouldn't_ be like the last time.

_"God, Zivaleh, why can you not leave well enough alone?"_

"Leave what alone?"


End file.
